Luke Littler hopes the experience he gained from losing to Luke Humphries in last year's World Darts Championship final will come in handy when he faces Michael van Gerwen tonight.
Littler burst onto the scene 12 months ago after starting the tournament as an unknown 16-year-old.
Humphries was very strong at the time, but Littler was in the Premier League; He returned one year into his meteoric rise with a season that saw him win the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Series of Darts.
Not only that, He emerged as one of the most recognizable faces in British sport and took interest in rockets to a new level.
“I gained a lot of experience last year,” said Littler, who averaged 102 in his five matches at Alexandra Palace.
“Michael has been to several finals. It's only my second, but I know where I went wrong last year and I'm sure I'll fix it.
“To lift this trophy, everything would have meant something,” he said. But my only focus right now is to win seven games tomorrow night.”
🗣️ “To lift this title will mean everything!”
Luke Littler reflects on his thrilling semi-final victory over Stephen Bunting as he looks ahead to tomorrow night's final against Michael van Gerwen…#WCDarts pic.twitter.com/VRkFqRXmvu
— PDC Sticks (@OfficialPDC) January 2 2025
Littler stormed into the final with a 6-1 win over Stephen Bunting, showing a composure and confidence that had often been missing in his earlier matches.
“I got a lot of confidence tonight. I felt at my best against Nathan (Aspinall) in the quarter-finals, but it's nice to play with such confidence,” Littler said.
“I'm hitting the right shots when I need to. Stephen was behind me the whole game, so I couldn't get off the gas.”
Mighty Mike cannot be underestimated.
Standing in his way tonight is Dutch great Van Gerwen.
Chris Dobey, who won last night's semi-final 6-1, was too strong.
The 35-year-old has had a disappointing year by his lofty standards, but a win tonight will bolster his belief that he can still cut it with world number one Humphries and Littler.
“I reached the final and the final meant nothing. I want to win, This is the only thing for me,” he said.
“For me, the total package has to be right; The train was still moving like this. This is a good thing.
“My experience is very important, but I haven't achieved anything yet. We still have a long way to go.”
🗣️ “The total package must be right!”
Michael van Gerwen responded by beating Chris Dobey 6-1 to reach his seventh World Cup final.#WCDarts pic.twitter.com/5RsFKAb8ca
— PDC Sticks (@OfficialPDC) January 2 2025
How to monitor
The PDC World Championship is shown on Sky Sports in the UK.
The final can be seen on Sky Sports Darts and Main Event from 7.30pm GMT.
Ah!
A year ago, Littler seemed destined to crown his remarkable run to the finals. But he failed to consider the fact that Humphries was the better player at the time.
At the moment Littler is stronger than Van Gerwen and if the game takes place in the local pub you will pay good money for the teenager.
However, This is the biggest day of the calendar, when many turn their eyes to the palace of Alexandria, intrigued by the potential prince to see if he could be king.
How will this match be decided? Will Littler be able to hold on despite the vast interests he receives? In many ways it's a free shot for Van Gerwen, and it puts him at risk.
That's impossible to bet with Littler. He's taken everything in stride this year, and mentally that's still the biggest hurdle to overcome. We believe he will make it and start monopolizing the game's biggest prize.